D.D. 12/15/05

The Tennessean reveals that Kroll, Inc's lobbyists is one of the closest advisors to Governor Bredesen. Byron Trauger, a Nashville lawyer, represents a Kroll subsidiary, according to lobbyist disclosure records, but Trauger is also know to be a close political advisor to Governor Bredesen. Kroll recieved a no-bid public contract to investigate charges of cronyism within the Tennessee Highway Patrol. "It's like paying off a crony to look at cronyism," said Wayne Renardson of Nashville. That's much the same conclusion that I reached.

Frank Cagle also writes on the investigation in this week's MetroPulse:

When Bredesen came into office he appointed his Washington County campaign manager, Sheriff Fred Phillips, to head the Department of Safety. While it is certainly not unusual for a governor to give that job to a campaign supporter, it certainly sent a signal to the troopers that it was business as usual.

According to the Chattanooga Times Free Press, Sen. Mark Norris (R-Collierville) wants to add the charges of cronyism to the list of things solved by a new ethics package passed by the ethics special session which is confirmed for January 10. Norris proposes to solve the problem by prohibiting highway patrol officers from contributing to political campaigns. The Governor has questioned the constitutionality of such a measure.